Worcestershire Record No. 25 November 2008 p. 24

ALBINO HEDGEHOG ERINACEUS EUROPAEUS SEEN IN ASHTON-UNDER-HILL

Harry Green

In August 2008 Jeremy King sent me pictures of an albino hedgehog taken in his garden at Ashton-under-Hill. Local Mammalogist Dr Johnny Birks said he had never seen one! The new Mammals Handbook (Harris & Yalden 2008) states they are not uncommon and that full albinos with pink eyes, nose and feet are not infrequent. White specimens with black nose and eyes have also been seen. The Ashton example clearly has a pink nose (not visible in the accompanying black and white version of the pictures but will be in colour on the web site). Jeremy King noticed it had pink eyes, a full albino.

I should be interested to hear of any other albino hedgehogs which have been seen in Worcestershire.

Albino  and normally coloured hedgehogs Albino hedgehog. The pale nose can be seen
amongst the leaves. Pictures © Jeremy King

Reference:
HARRIS S & YALDEN DW 2008. Mammals of the British Isles: Handbook, 4th edition. The Mammal Society

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